1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to nano-scale energy harvesting devices and, more specifically, to a device for harvesting energy from muscle action.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Nanotechnology has a substantial potential in the biomedical sciences. Many nanodevices are being developed to work in concert with biological systems. Such systems under development include: devices for diagnosing medical conditions and for treating diseases; sensor systems, such as artificial light and sound sensors; and neural communication systems, such as systems for communicating neural potentials to computers and muscles. Generally, it is expected that nanodevices will become powerful tools in human and animal health treatment in the coming decades.
A reliable power source will be a requirement for almost all such nanosystems. Current possible power sources include batteries and externally-excited generators. While progress has been made in reducing the size of batteries, such progress is limited by the complexity of the components of batteries as they approach the nanoscale. Also, batteries have the disadvantage of requiring periodic replacement or recharging. Externally-excited generators (e.g., radio frequency coils) also have problems with scaling and require an external power source (such as a radio frequency signal generator) to be present for the generator to work.
Therefore, there is a need for a small scale generator that does not require periodic replacement or recharging.
There is also a need for a small scale generator that does not require an external device to generate power.